Resources
I am not paid by any company to endorse products or services. I have had firsthand experiences with all of the companies and brands listed below.
They are useful resources based on my personal experiences. I will continue to update this as I find new and wonderful things.
Learning
The Ukulele Way
When I started to learn ukulele, I tried figuring it out on YouTube and through my local ukulele club with poor results. I even took a class from a local ukulele shop and in all cases none of these situations were designed with good foundational structure. They all seemed to be focused on singing songs and learning riffs.
It wasn’t until I stumbled upon The Ukulele Way that I was able to learn the instrument properly. If you are just getting started, I highly recommend James Hill’s approach. It will also set you up for easily understanding how to learn in a structured way that still makes you feel successful. From there, you can learn other instruments and musical styles.
$9 per month
Cornerstone Ukulele
Jeff Petersen offers excellent courses in Fingerstyle Ukulele as well as courses on specific musical styles. Subscribe to get notifications about discounts.
$90 Quarterly, $297 Annually
Mustafa Kamaliddin offers an excellent program in fingerstyle playing for Ukulele with an emphasis so far on classical music compositions. He also has a pretty good GuitarPro Software Class.
Software
Music notation software for stringed instruments including ukulele. It’s the easiest to use in my opinion, and fairly inexpensive.
This is what I use for viewing music on my iPad and Mac. Lots of good features.
Ukulele Stores (online)
If possible, it’s best to find a local Ukulele music store and try them out to see what feels best for you. Music stores will generally provide a good set-up before letting it out the door. The stores listed here have excellent customer service and are places that I have personal experience with. There could be others. Ask your friends.
The Ukulele Site a.k.a Hawaiian Music Supply
They are located in Hawaii and sell some of the most beautiful, custom ukuleles. They also have lower priced instruments but are known for their customs.
They offer free, set-ups and the ukulele image that you see for sale on the website post is exactly what you are getting.
Ukulele demos are by some of the best players in the world. Check out their YouTube Channel.
This is a one-woman shop. She sets up all the instruments herself before they are shipped. She also sells B-Stock ukes at a discount that might have minor blemishes but still sound good.
Uke Republic
This is another shop that includes a free set-up with each purchase. They might also have a few brands not carried by other stores.
Repairs
Search around for your local ukulele repair shop. Local meetups groups are a good place to ask.
In the Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura County adjacent area, Daniel is your man. He fixes ukes so well, you would never know they had been broken. He also does modifications and set-ups. He can also be contacted through U-SPACE LA since he works on a lot of their repairs.
Luthiers
I have custom ukuleles made by these amazing Luthiers. Check to see if Luthiers are still taking orders. Some are nearing retirement.
Ukulele Brands Worth Considering
There are many good brands out there. These are ones that I have actually owned and played.
Strings
Strings By Mail
They have strings for all stringed instruments and fast delivery.
The Ukulele Site
Good curated selection of strings.
World of Ukes
They often have hard to find ukulele strings. It also seems like a great place to buy ukuleles, but I have never purchased from them aside from strings.